9 Superpowers of the Highly Sensitive Person

Have you ever been told you’re “overly sensitive”? If you’re a highly sensitive person like me, you’ve probably heard these hurtful words more times than you can count.

As a highly sensitive person, you also know what it’s like to feel the emotions of others so deeply that it hurts. Or get so overwhelmed by crowds, loud noises, and strong smells that you want to hide out under a blanket all day. People constantly tell you to “toughen up” and “grow a thicker skin”. They believe that being thin-skinned in our abrasive world is a liability. But here’s the thing.

Being highly sensitive, you also have subtle superpowers that the more calloused among us don’t get to enjoy. In other words, your sensitivity is actually your greatest strength. Read on to discover 9 secret superpowers of the highly sensitive person.

Superpowers of the Highly Sensitive Person

1. You find strength in solitude.

The ability to spend time alone and actually enjoy it is a virtue. Being content in solitude means that you don’t waste time and money on useless distractions and superficial friendships. You don’t need to constantly be around people to feel fulfilled. You find happiness and strength in quiet moments when you can reflect and recharge.

2. You understand the importance of pacing.

Have you ever heard the story of the tortoise and the hare? The hare looses the race because he doesn’t know how to pace himself. This tried and true metaphor perfectly illustrates why the highly sensitive person has an advantage in life. Your sensitivity forces you to slow down, which leads to fewer wrong turns and greater wisdom in the long run.

3. You’re a lover not a fighter.

As a highly sensitive person, you value peace and harmony. You’re not one to stir up drama. You are a calm oasis in a world of war, and conflict. In other words, you are exactly what the world needs more of if we hope to continue on without destroying ourselves.

4. You can spot a fake from a mile away.

It’s pretty hard for a person to hide their true nature from you. Noticing subtleties is your specialty. This means that you pick up on clues in a person’s body language, facial expressions and overall vibe. If someone has hidden motives, you’ll sense it.

5. You understand the body-mind connection.

Because you have a more sensitive central nervous system, you’ve learned to be more in tune with your body and its needs. You know that your emotions, diet, relationships, and environment all impact your physical state. You respect the mind-body connection, and you feel better for it.

7. You have an amazing imagination.

Your imagination has always felt like a refuge from overstimulation. Your love of solitude gives you access to secret worlds of your own creation. It also helps you to be creative and innovative.

8. You are considerate of how others feel.

Being highly sensitive means that you feel the emotions of others as if they were your own. You recognized early on that what hurts another person hurts you. What makes them feel good makes you feel good. With this in mind, you try your best to be considerate of other people’s feelings.

9. You are good at reading between the lines.

People rarely have to spell things out for you. As a highly sensitive person, you naturally understand situations at a deeper level. You know how to ‘read the room’ and see beneath the surface.

Being a highly sensitive person might not always be easy, but believe me, it’s not a limitation. It’s a superpower.

So, next time someone tells you you’re being “overly sensitive”, take it as a compliment. ?

What about you?

Are you a highly sensitive person? Please share your insights and experiences below. I’d love to hear from you!

Xo,

P.S. Let’s take our internet friendship to the next level. Subscribe to my mailing list and get a 30-day blueprint to gain confidence, and self-love as an introvert. You’ll also get my 50-page Introvert Connection Guide for attracting your ideal friends in your own introverted way.

20 Comments

Marko
on August 3, 2016 at 12:23 pm

Magnificently said Michaela! All of the 9 superpowers are explained wonderfully, and I would say that they are all my absolute favourites! Being an HSP, I can identify myself with every single word. 🙂
Spot on article Michaela! 🙂

This is me but the difference is I come from a large family and we love one another even in our difference, it is too easy for me to accept anyone in my life because I feel I can help them if they do not even treat me well. I am a bit too patient at time but I have too much love . I need to slow down. It seem to me in relationship everything is great until she find out that I care so much that they take advantage of the situation. It is hard for me to find someone I love because I refuse to just date for short term I want long term relationship.

Hi Michaela, these are so true. This is a well thought out post and very accurate. I’d like to add that I found 3 more super powers this week.

1. Emotional Aikido, the ability to mirror and calm others down when they are upset.

2. Self Hypnosis, the ability to go into trance and communicate directly to the sub-conscious mind. Many people find this hard to do, since we live in such a distracting loud and fast paced world.

3. The ability to overcome physical pain, Joan of Arc was injured during a battle with the English by an arrow, after the arrow was removed she arose from bed and rejoined her countrymen on the battle field. Neuro-scientists back this up due to Joan’s strong spiritual faith, she had the ability to release endorphin’s and block out pain, she was an INFP, too as I’ve read.

I suppose I am a HSP on steroids. Its obvious I’m INFJ or I wouldn’t be here, but I also have Asperger’s. Some say its Sensory Processing Disorder and others just lump us all into High Functioning Autism (whatever). I don’t like being labeled as flawed or different. I seem to out function and out wit some of the smartest people I know. However it is always at a cost.

I get drained from the over stimulation really easy. I cant hide it sometimes. Loud crowds, lots of smells at one time, people bunching up against me. I start having an internal meltdown. I usually try very hard to gracefully go find a place where I can control the anxiety this often brings fourth. Many times well meaning people wont give me a break, they think they can “fix me”, and what fixes me is for them to leave me alone and let everything settle down inside me.

I can go somewhere (and really want to go there), but once there I get really stressed from all the things I’m not familiar with. I cant just go and do and see nonstop… It often just overwhelms me and no one understands it at all. Sure I want to enjoy it, but at my pace of maybe just the more quieter places of this unfamiliar place.

My solitude is my place where I love to be. No one judges there. They can call me a recluse, a freak, or say I’m rude and unsociable, its not the truth of who I really am and I know this.
I learned a long time ago, that others will try and force us to be like they are because they are uncomfortable with who we are.

One of my other situations is that I can sense a persons true nature very easy. Most the time this is no big deal, but ever so often I find a real snake who seems to be able to charm others and I get a really bad feeling inside. Another thing I notice is, it seems they notice that I sense it. Its really awkward.

I am so quiet that I usually wont say anything, sometimes people who do know me really well can tell I have sniffed out a rat or that something isn’t right. Many times I see others just swooning over the charisma some of these mental high jackers dish out and it amazes me.

I always want to “help them” or warn them, but it only makes me look like a fool because they don’t sense what we can. So I let it be and go one and smile.

We are a very blessed group. Some see us as weird or flawed… no we are special and we have abilities that the masses cant even grasp the concept of, yet it takes lots of energy from us to exist in a world built for them.

Normally I would not leave comments on websites. But your response blew my mind. I’m INFJ and I’m for sure highly sensitive to my surroundings and people.

At work there is someone exactly as you said- everyone is charmed but me. I can sense it. But no one else can. It literally makes me almost sick. And what is scary is, I also felt this person can tell that I smell a rat…. That freaks me out. Like this person knows I know. I’m trying to figure out how to deal with it.

Anyway, being this way is a strain but yet also very interesting and I like being able to read people and help people. It is like a super power, a blessing and a curse.

I just went thru a new friendship all along knowing I was being manipulated and used. When she got all she needed from me, the mean person came out , that I don’t deal with. So I said goodbye. My therapist warned me I was taking “scraps” because I am lonely. Yep it was true. Here I am back with my sweet self. I actually feel relieved. In 3 weeks I did learn from this person . Such is life.

Hey Michaela,Its really nice to hear that being highly sensitive is not a weakness because most of the time people tell me to be strong and thick skin and not to pay heed to people’s thoughts .But thanks to you for this very special content to make introversion a very important thing and being is not a crime a big thumbs up to you

Most of these apply to me even as an INTP, but not #8. I’m not really a feeling type and I’m often quite confused as to why people feel the way they do about certain things – I may not be empathetic, but I do like to consider myself compassionate – I enjoy helping and solving problems!

I wonder if us “Thinking” types experience being highly sensitive a little different from “Feeling” types?